People are surprised about how many police officers are on the streets of Bishkek: all in white shirts, standing about a meter away from each other. Bishkek is prettified: colorful flowers and flags, working fountains and lawned grass, clean streets…

My local friend was surprised about how casually I react to this happening in Kyrgyzstan (I’m from Turkmenistan): closed roads at six and restaurants shut at 11 pm. Almost no alcohol is sold. Another one says: “That’s what she has to live through everyday at home”.

Home sweet home, you always hit my heart, you are always traumatically on my mind.

Today, I learn Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov is visiting the SCO Summit in Bishkek as an honorable guest. My fellow blogger Djigit writes that “Kyrgyzstan have never seen so many dictators on its land” who have gathered to sign the Treaty of Friendship, Neighbourliness and Cooperation. The presidents of the People’s Republic of China, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan along with the leaders of Turkmenistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Afghanistan and Mongolia, Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Pakistan and India, and UN General Assembly Deputy Secretary have all gathered in Bishkek.

Berdymuhamedov officially invited Kurmanbek Bakiev to visit Turkmenistan and he is sure it will “strengthen Turkmen-Kyrgyz relations” as “the people of our countries share common history and cultural traditions”. The president of Kyrgyzstan accepted this invitation and thanked the Turkmen leader for presence at SCO Summitin Bishkek: “It is your first visit to Kyrgyzstan, your participation in the work of the summit is very significant to us.”

But then are those security regulations taking Bishkek people closer to what it feels like here in Turkmenistan: would citizen blogging on “SCOmania or SCOphobia” be possible?